Tag: Kate Carlisle

Writer on the Verge

Another step closer…

I sent my page proofs back to my editor two weeks ago and thought I might take a break.

But within minutes–or so it seemed, although it might’ve been a week or so–I received my Advanced Reader Copies of Homicide in Hardcover. My first book. My first book!!

ARCs aren’t as pretty as the real thing, but they’re a real book, all the pages are there and they’re all put together and bound, like, ya know, a book!

It’s mine. It’s real. OMG!!
I know the phrase “shock and awe” might seem like exaggeration, but that’s what I felt when, after so many years, I held my first book in my hot little hands.

Yippee!!

And objectively speaking, I suppose the ARC isn’t even that pretty. But it’s beautiful to me. 🙂

See that photo of the plain brown book? Not so pretty. Yet … attractive, in a plain-brown-wrapper sort of way. Kind of sexy, I think. 🙂

Here’s a preview of the real deal. Now that’s a beautiful thing!

… there’s that suspicious cat again …

And coming next month, the horrors — er, excitement — of promotion!

Kate Carlisle’s first book in the Bibliophile Mystery series, Homicide in Hardcover, arrives February 2009 from NAL.

Writer on the Verge

Conference Overload

Wait. Conference Overload? It hasn’t even started yet! I haven’t even packed. How can I already be overloaded? I haven’t even shopped for the new pair of pants and two sweaters I’ll need. I haven’t been to the hairdresser! I’ll go tomorrow, finally, thank goodness, and I’ll get a manicure and pedicure while I’m there. And I’ll have to drop off the dry cleaning and pick up two prescriptions before I go to the hairdresser. No, there’s not enough time. I’ll have to get the prescriptions after the hairdresser. Hmm. Maybe I can get the prescriptions Monday night after work. Note to self: check hours.

I need more batteries for my camera. And I’d better take my tape recorder in case there are any emergency brainstorming sessions while I’m there.

Thank goodness I bought a new suitcase last week. I’ll need it. But I haven’t begun to pack yet. And I’ve still got to finish making cards for my blog group to hand out–a few thousand should cover it–and whoa! I need new earrings! One of my silver hoops broke.

Overload? Yeah! By the time I actually get to conference, it’ll be like a vacation compared to the weeks spent preparing to get there! One good thing is that for the first time in recent memory, I’m not signed up for an editor/agent appointment. That means I might actually be able to relax, see my friends, meet in the bar, sleep. Oh yeah, I need some sleep.

But not yet. Must make a list. Must not forget flat iron. And bling. Oh yeah, the earrings. Got to buy new earrings.

And don’t forget to pack my postcards. I ordered postcards to show everyone my new book cover. Wait. I talked about my book cover last month here on the blog but I didn’t get a chance to show it off. So here’s a sneak peek …

Isn’t it beautiful? I love it! (You can click on the cover to get a better look. You’ll want to see the cat up close. He looks very suspicious.)

Now I just need to find a place in my suitcase for three hundred postcards so I can show it off to everyone else in the world. Will three hundred be enough? I hope I don’t go over the baggage weight limit. Note to self: check airline baggage weight limit. Sigh.

Anyone else on conference overload? Anyone else excited about conference? Anyone panicking over editor/agent appointments? (Take some deep breaths. Try to remember they’re regular people like you and me. I know, easier said than done.)

Only one more week to go and we’ll be in San Francisco! Then I can finally get some sleep!

Kate Carlisle writes The Bibliophile Mysteries for NAL. Her first book, HOMICIDE IN HARDCOVER, comes out in February 2009.